It may not happen very often, but everyone should know How to Remove Tea Stains from their clothing, porcelain or other objects. Tea contains tannin, and this compound is strong enough to dye white fabric brown, so this gives you an idea of how much tea can stain.
If you don’t remove the tea stain from your porcelain or china cups and saucers they will build up over time and have a beautiful set looking dingy and dirty. Most stains can be removed by using very hot water and a strong detergent, but if that doesn’t work, then you need to use other measures.
If you need to remove tea stains, it needs to be done as soon as possible, don’t wait until later, or the stain will have set, and may be more difficult to remove. In the time being, let me give you a few tips on how to remove tea stains from some of your every day items.
Remove Tea Stains From Porcelain
Baking Soda Paste – Can be made with a little baking soda and water. Then take a damp cloth, with the paste and rub gently until stain is gone.
Salt on a Moist Cloth – Take a damp cloth and add some salt to it, then rub gently until the tea stain is gone.
Corn Starch and Vinegar Paste – Make paste by mixing a little corn and vinegar together, the apply it to the tea stain. You want to let it sit for a few minutes before rubbing the tea off.
Denture Tablets – Can be used also. If they can remove stains from dentures, then they can remove tea stains from your porcelain. Just put 2 denture tablets into the cup and fill it with hot water. If the item can’t hold water, then fill your sink with hot water and put in 2 tablets for each item you put in the sink. For best results, let everything sit over night.
Hot Water and Detergent – I find hot water and detergent works only when the tea stain hasn’t had a chance to build up, but you can try it and see what happens. If you use this method, let it sit over night for best results.
Bleach – This always works. Just soak your porcelain item in 2 parts water and 1 part bleach, then leave it overnight. Always make sure your bleach is diluted.
Vinegar – Depending on the size of your porcelain piece, you can just soak it white vinegar over night. If you have a lot of porcelain, try one of the other methods, or go ahead and purchase the largest bottle of vinegar you can find.
Removing Tea Stains On Cotton Fabrics
Chlorine Bleach – If tea stains happen to be on your white clothing, when you do your laundry, just add the appropriate amount of bleach the cycle.
Vinegar – Using your sink or a plastic tub, pour in 1 cup of water and 3 cups of vinegar and soak the item until the tea stain is gone. Then put in the laundry and wash on the proper cycle.
Vinegar and Salt – Make an mixture of vinegar and salt, then using a damp cloth, gently rub it into the stain. Let it sit a while, then wash on its normal wash cycle.
Vinegar – You can try pouring vinegar directly onto the tea stain, then wash the item.
Beer – If you don’t mind using your beer, then just pour it directly onto fabric and the stain. Rub the spot gently the rinse. If some of the stain is still there, repeat the process.
Club Soda – You can also use club soda. Just pour it directly onto the stain until the stain is gone, then wash the item. The carbonation has a way of releasing the stain from the fabric.
How To Remove Tea Stains On Delicate Fabrics
Sugar and Water – Some clothing items may be to delicate to use some of the harsh methods mentioned above, so here is a solution you use. Just mix 3 tablespoons of sugar into 1 quart of water, then soak the stained part of your delicate item in the mixture. Leave the item in the solution until the stain is gone, then wash the usual way.
Club Soda – Your delicate items should also be able to stand club soda. Just pour it directly and slowly onto the stain until it is gone, then wash the item as usual.
Denatured Alcohol – This should be okay, but you may want to test a corner of the item to see how it reacts to alcohol before using it in cleaning tea stains. If it’s okay, then take a cloth soaked with alcohol and cover the stain with it. Keep checking until the stain is gone.
Cleaning Tea Stains From Carpets
Cold Water – Blot up all the excess tea, then pour a little cold water onto the stain. Blot up all the water. If the tea stain is still present, then repeat the process.
Vinegar – After blotting up all the excess tea, just pour a little vinegar over the stain. You want to let this sit for about 10 minutes, then sponge it with clear water. If the stain is still there, then you can repeat the process.
Club Soda – You can also use club soda on this. Make sure you blot up any excess tea, then just pour the soda onto stain. Blot this up and keep repeating the process until you have removed the tea stain. Then blot with clear water, then blot until the area is dry.
Beer – Removing tea stains with this method will take some effort, because you don’t want to leave the odor of beer on your carpet. Just pour a little beer onto the carpet, then blot it all up, then rinse. You want to keep repeating this process as long as the tea stain is there.
This completes How to Remove Tea Stains, and I hope you were able to find a method of cleaning tea stains that will help you. When all else fails, you can try the method I did not mention, and that is using a stain remover. I find these work very well at removing organic stains of all kinds, so they should work find with removing tea stains.
Here are some other points to remember when you want to remove tea stains. If at all possible, remove them when the stain happens, if not, at least as soon as you can. Tea stains should not be allowed to sit on any item or build up on any item. The longer the tea stain sits, the harder it will be to remove.
Another point is when you use bleach, vinegar or beer to remove tea stains, always rinse the area well before drying it. You also want to make sure your bleach is always diluted and you use white vinegar.
Resources:
http://www.mrscleannw.com/tips/remove-tea-stains.html
